Shoe-clasp



(No Model.)

T. E. KING & J. G. HAMMOND, Jr.

SHOE CLASP.

No. 351,035. Patented Oct. 19, 1886.

- NrTEb STATES FFICE.

THEODORE E. KING, OF \VESTPORT, AND JOSEPH C. HAMMOND, JR, OF ROCKVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

LASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 351,035, dated October 19, 1886,

Application filed March 1-2, 1886. Serial No. 194,982. (No model.)

T 0 (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THEODORE E. KING, of Westport. Fairfield county, Connecticut, and JOSEPH G. HAMMOND, Jr.. of Rockville, Tolland county, Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Clasps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

Our improvement relates to the class of clasps or buckles'used on articles of wearingapparel, and particularly adapted for use on articles of foot-wear, as overshoes and brogans.

The object of our within-described improvement is to provide a shoe-clasp with a tongue supported between the parts of the tongueplate, and means for preventing the accidental breaking out or removal ofthe tongue; and our improvement consists in the combination of a tongue-plate, a spring-plate with sockets for the tongue-pivots formed between them, and a stop limiting the extent of separation of these parts by the movement of the tongue in opening and closing, in combination with atongue pivoted between the parts and bearing a cam, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the tongue-plate and tongue, the latter opened. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the parts in the same position as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom View of the parts in the same position. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the parts, showing the tongue half closed, and illustrating the operation of the stop that limits the degree of separation of the plates. Fig. 5 is a detail view in cross-section of the closed tongue-plate on plane denoted by line 00 w ofFig. 1, looking away from the tongue. Fig. 6 is a detail view in cross-section of the tougue-plate on plane denoted by line 9 y of Fig. 4, looking toward the tongue, which is half opened.

In the drawings the letter (4 denotes the tongue-plate as a whole, made up of the top plate, I), and a spring-plate, c, the former having the crosswise slot 1), for the passage of the loop used in securing the plate to an article, leaving the tie-bar b near the front edge of the plate and overlying the pivot-sockets. The

arms I) extend on each side of the front edge of the plate forward, downward, and are bent backward to a sufficient degree to underlie the spring-plate c, and fori'n the stop d, Whose function is to limit the degree ofseparation of the top plate and the spring-plate by the action of the tongue.

The spring-plate 0 is secured to the top plate in any desirable manner, as by means of the rivete, passing through both plates back of the slot, and the spring-plate has forward-extending arms in which the pivot-sockets c are formed, the forward ends of the arms extending well into the grasp of the stop device d. These parts are made of sheet metal, and are cut and formed to shape in the ordinary manner common in the art, and the tonguef is likewise made of sheet metal bent to hook shape, as shown, with the integral tonguepivotsf, and a cam, f, on the base of the tongue rearward of the pivots. parts are assembled for use, the tongue pivots liein the pivot-sockets between the top plate and the spring-plate, and the tie-bar that overlies the pivots and the base ofthe tongue forms the part against which the cam strikes in opening and closing the tongue. The rear side of the pivot-sockets may be closed by the extension of the wall upward a distanceaboutequal to the thickness ofthe top plate.

The function of the tie-bar is to prevent the lateral spreading of the arms, and also to form a fulcrum for the operation of the cam of the tongue.

The function of the stop (2 is to prevent the two plates from being separated,so as to permit the removal of the tongue by a twisting strain upon it when open, which pulls the pivots out. from between the plates. This diflicultythe accidental pulling out of the tongueis one inherent in the buckle or clasp of the prior art that is nearest to our within-described improvement, and our object is to overcome this difficulty and also the evil effects due to the accidential bending out of plane of the arms, which isliable to occur in the absence of the tie-bar.

The operation of the device can be readily understood from a glance at the drawings.

Another advantage of our within-described improvement is that the particular shape or outline of the pivot in cross-section is not ma- \Vhen the terial to the operation of the device, neither an I ing the bar I) andarms I)", terminating in the Oblong nora re-enforced pivot being essential. stops d, the spring-plate c, with its forward We claim as our improvement end lying adjacent to the stop, and a hook- 15 1. In a shoe-clasp, in combination witha shaped tongue, f, pivoted between the plates 5 tongue-plate, a, composed of the spring-plate and bearing a cam, f all substantially as de- 0, and the top plate, b, having the stop d, with scribed. i

pivot-sockets formed between the parts, the I T hook-shaped tongue f, pivoted between the D JR plates and having a cam, f co-operating with IO the bar b in opening and closing the tongue,v Witnesses:

all substantially as described. CHAS. L. BURDETT,

2. In combination withthe top plate, I), hav- H. R. WILLIAMS. 

